MLSE to Team Up with CWOF to Celebrate Community Heroes and Inspire Youth
(Toronto, ON) November 16, 2017 – Canada’s Walk Fame (CWOF) honoured Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) last night at the organization’s annual gala with the inaugural ‘Friend of Canada’s Walk of Fame’ distinction, recognizing the parent company to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Toronto Raptors and Toronto FC for their countless contributions made to communities, not just in Toronto, but across Canada. As part of the recognition, MLSE will receive a star on Canada’s Walk of Fame in 2018.
At the same time, MLSE and CWOF announced plans to work together to honour a Canadian community hero each year, starting in 2018 – a coach, first responder, member of the armed forces – someone whose story may be less well known, but their impact is just as profound.
With this new partnership, MLSE will expand their support and have a more significant impact on CWOF’s ability to grow their programming and broaden their impact when it comes to inspiring, engaging, mentoring and giving back to next generation achievers, and all Canadians.
“MLSE has a long history of community leadership and team building, and so Canada’s Walk of Fame is so honoured and excited to create this new partnership with them as we transform our foundation to build a stronger national platform,” said Jeffrey Latimer, Chief Executive Officer of Canada’s Walk of Fame. “Their support and guidance will help us as we work to make CWOF mean more to more people more often, and to catalyze achievement in communities across Canada.”
For MLSE, the relationship with CWOF brings an opportunity to build on its legacy of providing Canadians with reasons to gather, to cheer and to contribute to their communities.
“MLSE is very proud to be a long-time supporter of Canada’s Walk of Fame and the important role it plays in celebrating Canadian successes,” said Michael Friisdahl, President and CEO of MLSE. “We’re also extremely honoured to be named the inaugural ‘Friend of Canada’s Walk of Fame’ and for the opportunity to work together to highlight the heroes in our communities that make this country so special.”